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This delicious variation of apple crisp combines the sweetness of local fall apples with the tartness of Canadian fresh cranberries. Serve crisp hot, room temperature, or cold with a couple scoops of vanilla bean ice cream. Recipe adapted from Fine Cooking (click here for the original recipe).

INGREDIENTS

For the streusel

4-1/2 oz. (1 cup) unbleached all-purpose flour

3/4 cup packed light brown sugar

1/2 cup chopped lightly toasted walnuts

1/4 tsp. table salt

3 oz. (6 Tbs.) unsalted butter, melted

For the filling

5 medium tart baking apples

6 oz. fresh cranberries (1-3/4 cups)

3/4 cup plus 6 Tbs. granulated sugar

1 oz. (3-1/2 Tbs.) all-purpose flour

1/4 tsp ground ginger

1/2 tsp ground cinnamon

DIRECTIONS

Position a rack in the center of the oven, set a heavy-duty rimmed baking sheet on the rack, and heat the oven to 350°F.

Make the streusel. In a medium bowl, combine the flour, sugar, walnuts, and salt. Using your fingers, blend the butter into the flour mixture. Set aside.

Make the filling. Peel, quarter, and core each apple. Cut each quarter lengthwise into 1/4-inch-thick slices and then cut each slice crosswise at 1/4-inch intervals to make tiny rectangles. In a food processor, pulse the cranberries with 3/4 cup of the sugar until coarsely chopped. In a large bowl, combine the remaining 6 Tbs. sugar with the flour, ginger, and cinnamon. Toss in the cranberry mixture and apples.

Mound the filling into a 8X8″ baking dish. Sprinkle the streusel topping over the apple mixture, pressing the streusel between your fingers into small lumps as you sprinkle.

Put the crisp on the heated baking sheet and bake until the streusel is deeply browned and the filling is bubbling vigorously at the edges of the pie, 50-60 minutes. Check every 20 minutes, and if the pastry edge or the streusel browns before the filling is done, loosely cover the top or edges of the pie as needed with aluminum foil.

Transfer to a rack and cool completely before serving. Serve with vanilla ice cream.

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This is one of the best turkey recipes I have ever had! What a flavorful, tender, and spicy bird! If you are bored with a traditional recipe, you will NOT be disappointed with this one. While I found the recipe rather involved and time consuming, it was worth every minute. But, don’t skimp on the quality of turkey. It’s worth every penny to invest in a free-range, fresh bird from a local farm. Not only to you support your local farmers and environment, but you also support a higher quality of life for the bird. Serve with Cranberry Apple Chutney.

Tandoori Masala. Toast spices in a skillet over medium heat, swirling often, until fragrant, about 2 minutes. Let cool. Grind, using a spice mill or a mortar and pestle.

Turkey. Pat turkey dry with paper towels. Rub inside and out with salt. Stuff turkey with cardamom pods and cumin seeds, then onion, celery, and garlic. Transfer to a large marinade bag.

Marinade. Purée all ingredients in a blender. Pour marinade into marinade bag. Smear all over turkey. Tie bag and arrange turkey, breast side down. Refrigerate overnight.

Roasting. Let turkey stand in a bag at room temperature for 1 hour. Turn breast side up and place turkey (and all of the marinade) in a large roasting pan. Cover and seal well with heavy duty aluminum foil. Preheat oven to 400°. Roast turkey for 30 minutes. Reduce heat to 350°. Roast until an instant-read thermometer inserted into the thickest part of the thigh (puncturing bag with thermometer) registers 160°, about 1 1/2 hours longer. Remove aluminum foil and roast turkey until breast is deeply browned but not burned and a thermometer inserted into thigh registers 165°, 15–30 minutes longer. Transfer to a platter. Let rest for at least 20 minutes before carving.

Gravy. Strain juices into a large saucepan. Spoon fat from surface. Simmer over medium heat until sauce is reduced to 3 1/2 cups, about 40 minutes.

Carve turkey. Serve with accompanying gravy.

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What a tasty change from traditional cranberry sauce! This recipe combine tart cranberries with sweet apples and savory Indian spices. If you want something different to pair with meat, try this delicious chutney. For a very unique Thanksgiving dinner, try this chutney with Tandoori Turkey.

Peel, halve, and core apples, then cut into 3/4-inch cubes. Stir together 2/3 cup brown sugar, 1/2 cup orange juice and remaining ingredients except cranberries in a 13- by 9-inch glass baking dish and spread in an even layer.

Roast apple mixture, stirring occasionally, 1 hour. Remove dish from oven and stir in cranberries, then continue roasting until cranberries are softened and most of liquid is absorbed, about 20 minutes.

Stir in remaining 1/3 cup brown sugar and 1/2 cup orange juice (add more sugar to taste, if you prefer a sweeter chutney, and more orange juice if the chutney is too thick).

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Earlier this year, my husband and I moved to Vancouver, BC from the United States. While I am Canadian, I’ve never lived in Canada. We celebrated Canadian Thanksgiving in early October with family in Princeton, BC. Because we already ate one turkey feast, I wasn’t going to cook another one for American Thanksgiving. But, traditions are traditions. Who says you can’t have 2 turkey dinners in one season. So, inspired by some Canadian friends, I decided to go all out and cook up another feast, in honor of American Thanksgiving. However, I took the opportunity of this being our second turkey feast of the season, to experiment and try something new. The result – a very nontraditional, extremely savory and delicious, American Thanksgiving in Canada. Over the next few days, I will post the various recipes from this unique feast. But here’s a glimpse of the amazing food:

Butternut Squash Filling: Combine onion through thyme in a 13X9-inch glass baking dish, and toss until ingredients are evenly coated with oil. Bake for 30-40 minutes at 425 degrees F, stirring every 10 minutes, until vegetables begin to brown. Mash with a fork and transfer to a medium-sized bowl. Set aside, and reduce oven heat to 375 degrees F. You will need the 13X9-inch dish to cook the lasagna, so do not clean, just set aside for later use.

Sauce: Combine red wine, tomatoes, 2 tbsp oil and oregano in a medium saucepan. Bring to a boil, reduce heat and simmer for 30 minutes, stirring occasionally. Meanwhile, heat 1/2 tbsp oil in a large non-stick pan. Saute mushrooms on medium-high heat for 10 minutes, or until tender and beginning to brown. Set aside. Puree tomato mixture in a blender. Transfer back to medium saucepan, and add cooked mushrooms. Stir and simmer for 10-15 additional minutes, until sauce begins to thicken. Stir in swiss chard and set aside.

Cheese Filling: In a large bowl, combine ricotta through salt. Stir well and set aside.

To prepare the lasagna, pour about 1/2 cup sauce into the 13X9-inch dish you used to make the butternut squash filling (no need to clean, just scrape clean with a rubber spatula). Cover the bottom of the dish with a layer of uncooked lasagna noodles arranged close together. Evenly spread on 1 cup of cheese filling and then 1/2 cup butternut squash filling. Spoon on 1/2 cup of sauce. Add a second layer of noodles followed by another 1 cup of cheese filling and 1/2 cup butternut squash filling and 1/2 cup sauce. Finish with a layer of noodles and thoroughly moisten by 1/2 cup of sauce and 1/4 cup butternut squash filling. Evenly sprinkle with shredded mozzarella/asiago cheese mixture.

Cover and bake for 50 minutes. Uncover and bake for an additional 10 minutes, until lasagna is bubbly, the noodles are tender, and the top is browned. Remove from oven and let stand for about 10 minutes before serving.

Add broth, water and red bell peppers through tomato paste. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer for 20 minutes, or until all vegetables are almost tender.

Stir in swiss chard/kale through chocolate. Stir until chocolate is melted and mixed evenly throughout. Cook for another 5-10 minutes until all the vegetables are tender and the swiss chard/kale is cooked.

This hearty vegan soup is fabulous comfort food for a cold winter day. It’s packed with flavor and texture. If you’re not vegan, don’t worry…you’ll fall in love with this soup! Eat this for dinner, or for lunch. It reheats well and stays good for a week in the fridge.

INGREDIENTS

2 tbsp extra virgin olive oil

1 large onion or 2 medium leeks, diced or chopped

1 lb. baby bella mushrooms, washed and thinly sliced

1 medium celery root (also known as celeriac)

2 large carrots, diced

1 very small cabbage, or 1/2 medium cabbage, finely shredded and chopped

This Tamale Pie is a TASTY variation of a vegetable pot pie. As someone who grew up on Tex-Mex food, I absolutely love this dish and make it quite often with all sorts of different fillings. This particular variation uses butternut squash, winter greens and potatoes. Top with organic sour cream and Tomatillo & Cilantro Salsa and serve with Mexican Cabbage Salad or a simple green salad.

Adapted from Moosewood Restaurant Celebrates Cookbook.

INGREDIENTS

2 cups chopped onions

6 garlic cloves, minced

1/2 tsp kosher salt

1 jalapeno (seeded if you don’t want it to be as spicy)

1 tbsp extra virgin olive oil

2 tsp ground cumin

1 cup water

1 cup vegetable broth

1 large buch swiss chard or kale

2 cups potatoes (no need to peel if they are organic, just scrub well)

2-3 cups peeled and cubed butternut squash or sweet potatoes

1 tbsp lime juice

1 1/2 cup shredded organic cheddar cheese

1 cup cornmeal

2 tbsp unbleached, organic white flour

1 1/2 tsp baking powder

1/2 tsp baking soda

1/2 tsp kosher salt

1/2 cup fresh or frozen corn kernels

1/2 cup diced red bell pepper

1/2 cup fresh cilantro, minced

2 organic, free-range eggs, beaten

1/2 cup organic buttermilk

2 tbsp extra virgin olive oil

DIRECTIONS

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.

In a large stockpot, saute onions, garlic salt and chili in the oil until the onions start to brown, about 10 minutes. Stir in the cumin. Add the water, broth, potatoes and butternut squash. Bring to boil. Reduce the heat and simmer for about 15 minutes. Add kale/swiss chard and simmer for an additional 5 minutes, until the vegetables are tender. Stire in the lime or lemon juice, transfer stew to a 9X13-inch baking pan (prepared with cooking spray). Sprinkle on the cheese.

In a bowl, stir together cornmeal through cilantro. In a separate bowl, combine the eggs, buttermilk and oil. Fold the wet ingredients into the dry ingredients just until mixed. Pour the topping over the stew and cheese and spread evenly to cover.

Bake for 30 minutes, until a knife inserted in the topping comes out clean.